Machine for the production of knitted fabrics



March 13, 1934.

MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KNITTED FABRICS R. K. MILLS,

Filed Jan. 5. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. K. MILLS March 13, 1934.

MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KNITTED FABRICS Filed Jan. 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13, 1934. R. K. MILLS MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KNITTED FABRICS neys Patented Mar. 13, 1934 MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF KNITTED FABRICS Robert Kirkland Mills, Sherwood, Nottingham, England, assignor to Hosiery Developments Limited, Nottingham, England Application January 5, 1932, Serial No. 584,870 In Australia September 10, 1931 7 Claims. (01. tea-s) This invention comprises improvements in machines for the production of knitted fabrics, and has more particular reference to machines adapted for the production of fabrics composed of 5 knitted chains of warp threads combined with weft threads, and the principal object of the inare locked or tied by passing thread loop through and also closely around another loop.

To produce the locked or tied stitches, needles are employed in the warp knitting machine as above having a plurality, say two, of independently displaceable latches located one below another on the needle stem, said needles being operated at predetermined intervals to cause a loop of newly fed thread laid between the latches to be drawn through an old loop on the needle without casting off said latter loop and subsequently to pass the first-named or new loop over and closely around said old loopso as to become tied thereon.

The machine may operate so as to lay the weft thread on the plain side of the needles, i. e. the side opposite to the hook, so as to cause said weft to be gripped or held in position by the warp thread stitches without actually forming part of said stitches. Alternatively, means maybe incorporated whereby, during the production of tues part of the stitch-locking or tying means, this being advantageously accomplished by feeding or laying the weft thread on the plural latch needles between the latches thereof so that said weft thread is passed with a locking stitch loop of warp thread through and also around the stitch loop to be locked.

For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates in part sectional side elevation a warp knitting machine for producing a fabric composed of knitted chains of warp thread having locked or tied stitches and incorporating 4U) locked or tied stitches, the weft thread constiweft thread which is retained by the knitted chains without constituting part of the intermeshing stitches thereof.

Figure 2 illustrates seven successive steps in the needle operation on a machine as shown in Figure 12 i Figures 3 to 6 inclusive are enlarged detail views illustrating the means employed in the machine shown in Figure l for laying the weft thread on the plain side of the needles.

Figure 7 is a part sectional side elevational view of a modified construction of machine wherein the weft thread constitutes part of the locked or tied stitches of the knitted warp chains, the lever device to the warp thread feed being omitted.

Figure 8 is a detail view of the needle-operating cam employed in the machine shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 illustrates seven successive steps in the needle operation on a machine in accordance with Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a detail view showing a suitable cam for operating the warp thread feed and an eccentric for operating weft intercepting means in machines as shown in Figures 1 and 7.

In one method of carrying out the invention a machine will be described whereon fabrics are produced composed of, chains of warp threads embodying locked or tied stitches and having weft threads embraced by the knitted stitches of said chains but not constituting part of said stitches.

In this machine, which is illustrated in Figure 1, double latch needles 1 are mounted on a needle bar 2 actuated from a. needle-operating cam 3, said cam being so designed as to produce vertical reciprocation of the needles twice during each revolution of the drive shaft 4. To this end the needle cam track 5 in the cam 3 may be of approximately triangular formation, the cam truck 6, which traverses said track 5, functioning during its traverse of the rise 50. to raise the needles to a height suflicient for receiving the warp threads 7 in the needle hooks so' as to produce ordinary knitted stitches, whilst during the traverse of the rise 51) said needles are raised to a greater height so as to permit of the warp threads 7 being laid between the needle latches so as to produce locked or tied stitches. Intermediate of the two rises 5a, 5b is a comparatively small rise which functions as an auxiliary cam rise to ensure the old thread loops being passed in between the needle latches. v

The weft thread 8 is drawn from a conveniently located supply by a weft carrier 9 which is mounted to traverse behind the needles on a rod 10. Extending rearwardly and upwardly from the knocking-over orwork-bar 11 is a series of fixed wires or plates 12 constituting a fixed grid, said wires or plates alternating with the needles and passing between same.

In combination with this fixed grid is a movable grid also composed of wires or plates 13 which are located intermediate of the wires of the fLxed grid 12, said movable grid 13 being actuated from an eccentric or similar member 14 on the drive shaft 4 so as to describe a'circle such as is indicated in broken lines in Figures 3 to 6.

The weft 8 is traversed across the machine upon the fixed grid 12, while the movable grid 13 is in its most rearward position as shown in Figure 3, and when the needles have been lowered to knock-over and produce an ordinary knitted stitch the movable grid comes into engagement with the weft thread which has been traversed across the machine and presses said thread forwardly from the fixed grid 12 to the front or plain side of the needles 1, said needles then being moved upwardly by the cam rise 5b to take the warp threads between the latches and form a locked stitch, the weft' '8 being thus gripped in position between the old loop on the needle and the new loop formed by the newly fed warp thread. Four successive phases in the motion of the movable grid 13 and its action upon the weft 8 during the laying thereof will be clearly understood by reference to Figures 3 to 6 of the drawings.

seven successive motions imparted to the needles in producing fabric on the above machine will now he described by reference to Figure 2 of the drawings, the operation of one needle only being considered. In th s figure the position indicated at A is that at which the needle has been raised by the cam rise 5a .to a height for receiving the warp thread 7 within its hook. At the next position B the needle is fully lowered to knock over and an ordinary stitch formed. At the position C the needle is again raised sufficient to clear the existing stitch loop below the upper latch and immediately afterwards the needle is again slightly lowered to the position D by passing over the small cam rise do, this last motion ensuring that the existing loop on the needle passes to the back or rear side or" the lower latch so that on the succeeding motion said loop will displace said lower latch to an open position.

During the motions C and D the weft thread 8 is laid and passed over on to the plain side of the needle as before-described, and at the next succeeding motion E the needle is raised to a comparatively greater height by the cam rise 51), at which position the warp thread '1 is again fed. This time, however, the warp thread is fed in between the two latches or the needle instead of into the needle hook, and. the previously formed loop is cleared below the lowermost latch. On the needle being again lowered the existing cleared loop is passed up over. the two latches and. a loop of the newly fed warp thread into the needle hook, the said loop of newly fed warp thread being meanwhile retained between the overlapping or abutting latches as shown. at F; and on the continued downward motion of the needle said new loop is knocked over and becomes tied upon the old loop in the needle hook as shown at G, thereby producing a locked or tied stitch and binding the weft thread d in position.

shown in Figure 3 so that when said weft-is traversed the free end thereof beyond the widthof the fabric is first caused to form a loop embracing the last plate or wire of the movable grid 13, and as said movable grid recedes to assume a position ready for moving the next length of weft in front of the needles, the said end loop of the weft is released from said grid and is arrested by the nose 15a of the interceptor 15. After sufficient time to allow of the needles falling below the point at which fouling can occur the interceptor is withdrawn and the weft released therefrom.

The motions of each interceptor 15 may be produced from the main drive shaft 4. by an eccentrio 16 through a rod and crank 17 (see Figure 10).

In the modified construction of machine shown in Figures 7 and 8, means are incorporated for feeding the weft thread 8 along with the warp threads '7 on to the needles 1 between their latches so that said weft is cast off the needles along with the warps to constitute part of the locked or tied stitches. I

To this end the needle-operating cam 3', which is shown more clearly in Figure 8, has a modified form of cam track 18 of which the portion or rise 18a functions to operate the needles for producing plain or unlocked stitches, while the portion or rise 13?) operates the needles in the production of a locked or tied stitch. The small rise 18c functions in a manner similar to the rise 50 of the cam 3 in the machine previously described. The portion 18b is, in this case, designed to retain the needles in the fully raised or feeding position for a length of time suficient for enabling the weft 8 to be traversed across the machine and laid between the latches, and while the needles are so positioned the weft carrier .9 is traversed across the machine, and a series of sinkers 19 are moved forwardly into engagement with said weft and hold same in position on the needles during the time said needles are being lowered to knock over and form the locked stitch.

The sinkers 19 may be operated from a cam;

20 having a cam track or groove 21 with which engages a truck 22 on a pivoted lever 23, the design of the cam track 21- being such that during one half of the revolution of the drive shaft 4 said sinkers 19 are retracted from engagement with the weft 8 and maintained in such retracted position while plain or unlocked stitches are being produced, and during the remaining half of the revolution the sinkers are projected forwardly so that their noses carry the weft thread traverse across the machine, which weft is engaged by the sinker throats and pressed thereby into position on the needles between the latches.

In Figure 9 are shown seven successive steps in the production of fabric on the machine il= iustrated in Figures 7 and 8. At the positions A the needle is raised by cam rise 18:; to take warp thread '7 and clear an old loop below the top latch, the needle being then lowered to knock over at B and produce an ordinary knitted stitch. At C the needle is shown again raised to clear its existing loop below the upper latch and at D same is lowered a short distance to bring said loop at the back of the bottom latch so that the subsequent further upward movement of the needle causes said loop to lower said bottom latch. At the position E warp thread 7 is again fed to the needle, but this time the needle is raised to a height whereat said warp thread is fed between the latches. The needle is maintained at this fully raised position by cam rise 18b for a time suflicient to permit of the weft thread-8 being traversed across the machine upon the sinkers 1.9,

which sinkers-move forward positively to lay said weft 8 between the needle latches.

After traversing the weft 8 the needle is lowered so as to cause the old warp thread loop, which has been cleared below the bottom latch, to pass upwardly over the two latches and over loops formed of the newly fed warp thread and the Weft thread, as shown at position F, said old warp thread loop passing upwardly into the needle hook. On the further continued downward motion of the needle the sinkers 19 are retracted and the loops of newly fed warp thread and weft thread are knocked over so as to become tied upon the old loop which is still retained in the needle hook as shown at position G.

The feeding of the warp threads 7 in both of the above-descibed machines may be effected in any suitable manner, say for example, through pivoted lever mechanism 24 (Figure 1) from a suitable cam device on the drive shaft 4. In order, however, to permit of alternate tied and tying stitches being produced in the knitted chains as before-described, the cam device is designed to feed the warp threads twice during each revolution of the shaft 4.

In Figure 10 a suitable warp feed operating cam 25 is illustrated having a cam track 26 with which a truck 27 on the lever mechanism 24 coacts. This cam track 26 is of approximately triangular formation, the two rises 26a, 26b coinciding with the positions at which the threads '7 are to be fed to the needles.

I claim:

1. A warp knitting machine comprising a series of needles, each needle having a plurality of pivoted latches spaced one below the other on the needle stem, means for feeding a separate warp thread to each needle, said needles operating to produce knitted warp chains, means functioning at predetermined intervals to feed warp thread into the needle hooks and produce ordinary stitches and at other predetermined intervals to feed the thread between the needle latches and produce locked or tied stitches, and means for feeding weft thread to connect Sal d knitted warp chains.

2. A warp knitting machine comprising a series of needles, each needle having a plurality of latches spaced one below the other on its stem, means for feeding a separate warp thread to each needle, said needles operating toproduce knitted warp chains, means for feeding and traversing weft thread for connecting said chains, a single needle operating cam device, said cam being constructed to raise the needles to a position at which warp threads are fed into the needle hooks for producing ordinary stitches, and subsequently to a position at which said warp threads are fed betweenthe needle latches for producing locked or tied stitches.

3. A warp knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, and including means for laying the weft thread on the side of the needles opposite to the hook so as to cause said weft thread to be embraced by the warp thread stitches without constituting part of said stitches.

4. A warp knitting machine as claimed in claim 1 and including means whereby the weft thread is'laid across the needles between the. latches thereof during the production of locked or tied stitches, so that said weft thread constitutes part of said locked or tied stitches.

5. In a warp knitting machine, needles having a plurality of pivoted latches spaced one below the other on their stems, means for feeding a separate warp thread to each needle, cam mechanism operating said needles to produce knitted warp chains, said cam mechanism functioning to displace the needles at predetermined times to an extent sufiicient to receive the warp thread in the needle hooks and produce ordinary knitted stitches, and at other predetermined times to displace said needles to a position to receive said warp thread between the latches so as to produce locked or tied stitches, weft thread feeding and traversing means, sinker elements operating upon said weft thread positively to locate same between the latches and sink loops thereof so that said weft thread loops become part of the locked or tied stitches in the warp chains.

6. A warp knitting machine as claimed in claim 5, and including a cam device operating through pivoted lever mechanism to impart reciprocatory motion to the weft-engaging sinkers to lay the weft thread between needle latches.

'7. A warp knitting machine embodying in combination a series of needles, a bar carrying said needles, each needle having two pivoted latches spaced one below the other at the needle stem, warp thread feeding means, a separate warp thread being fed to each needle, cam mechanism functioning to impart vertical reciprocation to the needle bar and needles carried thereby, the said needle operating cam mechanism being constructed to produce knitted warp chains composed of alternate tied and tying stitches by causing warp threads to be fed alternately into the needle hooks and between the latches, these operations being successively repeated, ,weft thread feeding means, and means whereby said weft thread is laid across the needles so as to become embraced by the knitted warp chains.

ROBERT KIRKLAND MILLS.

n, QERTIFICATE 0F connection.

Patent No. L951, 104. March 13, 1934.

ROBERT KIRKLAND MlLLs.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of theabove numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, after line 135, I insert the following as claim 8:

8. A warp knitting machine. comprisinga series of needles each needle having a plurality ofpivoted latches on its stem, means for feeding a sep-- arate warp thread to each needlefisaid needles being operated to produce knitted warp chains composed of alternate tied and tying stitches, weft thread feeding and traversing means, said weft thread being traversed across a fixed grid at the hooked sideof the needles and subsequently displaced from said fixed grid on to the opposite or plain side of the needles by a movable grid, so as to become embraced by the stitches of the warp chains without constituting part of said stitches.

And that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the'case inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this l9th day of June, A. D. 1934.

- Bryan Mo Battey saggy Acting (Commissioner of Patents. 

